We don't tolerate Female Genital Mutilation, and we shouldn't tolerate male Genital Mutilation either. and putting a baby's penis in your mouth should warrant a jail sentence.

This story was reported by the Daily Forward a few days ago, including that some haredi rabbis refuse to replace this practice with tube suction. Hopefully there are many haredi parents who have good critical judgment and common sense to prohibit this dangerous part of the bris ceremony. It is very difficult to accept that some rabbis will still perform a metzitzah b'peh even though it could be harmful to the infant.

What, what, what?

The fact that you're even comparing male circumcision with female genital mutilation means you have not even the slightest clue what you're talking about. Circumcision if performed under normal conditions (without the practise used by the Orthodox in the article) is not only safe, but also prevents/diminishes risk for several diseases such as HPV, HIV and completely irradicates penile cancer and phimosis. Being circumcised has far more benefts than not being circumcised. It should not only be allowed but encouraged. And it's the deepest bond between the Jewish people.

I can't believe what I am reading here! If this is true, it shows once again how some of the haredi practices are totally unacceptable and so far from true Jewish tradition and religion.

Given there were no anitbiotic,etc in acient time, sucking the kid's junk was for health reasons. Now? Do people get off on it?

So you never enjoyed it as many girls i knew did . You lost ! And comparing circumcision to female genital mutilation is only showing your ignorance

circumcisions and all. Leftist media-morons pick up on the slightest provocations to rattle the cage of Public Opinion and allow runaway idiotic reporting like this. Our heritage spans thousands of years, circumcisions and all.

First of all, #1's post is just part of a movement of fanatics to ban circumcision. There are men who claim that it has caused lasting emotional scars. Well, there are lasting emotional scars but not from the bris and these people are just sick. Also, they are ignoring the fact that the WHO encourages male circumcision asa way of combatting the spread of HIV. In addition, many African states are requiring even grown African men to get circumcised to lessen the spread of HIV. As far as the practice of oral suction of an infant, I can not imagine that this practice is part of Jewish law. I have always believed that preserving life takes precedent over any other practice. For example, an ill person who is too sick to fast, is obligated not to fast on Jewish fast days. Thus, transmitting the herpes virus to a newborn because of this practice is beyond the pale even if it didn't cause infections in the newborn. I don't understand how these ultra-Orthodox can call temselves devout and yet cause babies to become ill.

You are an idiot. LaVoy Rice New Orleans, USA

this suction practice has been going on for over two millenia and there is nothing new about it. it is more common among yemenite brits. there is no direct contact between the mohel and the child. they use a glass in between the two. stop the ignorance. do your research before you judge!

It should be banned in Israel as well. Sometimes with Haredi you have use legal force to make them more up-to-date.

that it is mostly not those who were circumcised or their partners who are against.On the contrary ,they sound quite pleased.

Like #12 said, we've survived almost 4,000 years (not 6,000) WITH metzitzah b'peh for ALL orthodox people except perhaps for SOME modern orthodox and they will continue doing so whether the US Health officials like it or not. That's the way it was done throughout centuries and that's the way it will continue.

The point is that using the mouth is rarely done in recent times. There are safer alternatives which are the norm.

You'll see an unprecedented increase in aliyah. Israel's population will grow by at least a million in a relatively short amount of time.

The story is not focused on circumcision, but on the practice of metzitzah b'peh, which is a proven health risk. For those readers who claim that metzitzah b'peh has been practiced for thousands of years, that cuts no ice - when a practice is proved to be hazardous, especially to innocent newborns, the practice needs to stopped! I don't know what brand of Judaism the defenders of this practice are following, but I was taught that "do no harm" is the universal principle of Judaism the supersedes everything. Nothing else is defensible. Shame on the rabbis who continue to practice it, and shame on the parents who subject their child to this risk. They blindly follow the instruction of rabbis who are accountable to no one.

There have been numerous previous articles that metzitzah b'peh involves direct contact. All all incorrect?

Stop puting all leftist in the same section, you do not know what you are talking about. BTW, 6000 years? what tradition are you talking about, sure it is not judaism...even our calendar doesn´t reach that that age. Please, think and then write...

All of a sudden it is dangerous? Come on, what happened to common sense? I am an old man and have attended so many circs, yet, never have I seen or heard of any danger to any baby from this. What gives? Who believes this bunk!

Thousands of years ago, the practice prevented infection after circumcision. Today we have safer medical equipment and procedures, so the practice has been eliminated for the most part. Any group that clings to this outdated ritual is not part of the mainstream of Orthodox Judaism.

does not change. Some commandments are commandments of men (Mishna, Talmud). Some are commandments of HaShem. And some are everlasting commandments of HaShem. Circumcision is an everlasting commandment of HaShem. R.